


The Devil You Know

by ghostcrow



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Anal Sex, Asphyxiation, Biting, Bottom Kylo Ren, Choking, Dom/sub, Face Slapping, Hair-pulling, Impact Play, Injury Kink, M/M, Orgasm Control, Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot, Smut, Top Armitage Hux, general hatefucking, of the regular kind
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-07
Updated: 2018-01-07
Packaged: 2019-03-01 09:43:23
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,269
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13292190
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ghostcrow/pseuds/ghostcrow
Summary: “Very good,” Hux praised, voice tinged with sarcasm. “I thought you were a complete idiot, but apparently you are still capable of learning what’s best for you.”“Funny, I was under the impression you only thought of me naked, alone in your chambers,” Kylo replied. “Your mind is quite loud at night, General.”Hux slapped him again.





	The Devil You Know

Kylo Ren returned to the Finalizer three hours later than expected, dripping blood from a tear in his sleeve. It saturated the fabric and flowed down his arm, pooling into slow drips on the tips of his gloved fingers. The arm hung limply at his side, dead weight. Dust and gore caked the hem of his cloak and below a fringe of dirty hair his face was scratched and bruised. Kylo seemed careless of his rough condition as he stormed down the halls to his chambers, sweeping past the ship's crew. They knew well enough to keep out of his way, to only stare after his back was to them. No one greeted Kylo Ren at his return.

The mission had not been a failure, but the rebel forces has been greater in number than their intel had projected. The scum were trying to build up their ranks again. He'd been meant to lead a sabotage attack against one of their largest supply ships, but their soldiers had been waiting, and the fight had drawn out too long. As the new Supreme Leader, Kylo would perhaps be better suited to a remote command position, but the likelihood of him keeping out of the fray was near zero. Leave that to the General. In any case, the rebel supply ship was now dust.

When Ren reached his chambers, he was displeased to find them not as empty as he had left them. General Hux was sitting at his desk, scanning a report with the air of a man who was in his place, doing his job. His arrogance was palpable. The door whirred shut behind him as Kylo stepped into the room, seething. Hux looked up blithely.

"Ah good, it's you. I've been awaiting your return so that I might ask you -"

"Don't act the fool, General, it's unbecoming," Kylo cut him short. "What are you doing in my chambers?"

Hux's green eyes looked flat in the dim light, but the hint of a smug grin played around his lips. "As I was saying, I've been waiting to go over a few details about yesterday's meeting with High Command. You're rather late coming back, aren't you? Run into trouble?" His gaze slid across Ren's face, hesitating on the bruise around the man's right eye and scratches that marred his cheeks.

Kylo stared silently at Hux, radiating hatred. The only reason Hux was still living was his cursed strategic usefulness. The man had a passion for all the mundane aspects of war that Kylo had no patience for, the things that needed doing behind the scenes if the First Order was to function. If he struck Hux down another insufferable little man would pop up in his place, ad nauseum. As much as Kylo couldn't imagine anyone worse, better the devil you know, so he lived. Still, things had only gotten worse since the death of Snoke. Hux had his eyes on the mantle of Supreme Leader and everyone knew it. Kylo Ren was the only man alive who could stand in his way, but Hux was still pushing. If he couldn't have what he wanted, Hux could at least remind Kylo that as long as he was Supreme Leader, he would never be able to relax.

"What I do and the time in which I do it is none of your concern. Get out," Kylo finally growled, stepping aside to open the path to the door.

Blood had formed a small pool on the floor below Kylo's arm, each drip sounding muffled in the stillness of the room. It splattered in a haphazard pattern as he moved, marking his path with a thin trail of droplets. Hux's eyes fixed on the puddle and an expression of mixed disgust and curiosity flitted across his face.

"You're injured," he observed, rising from the chair. There was, surprisingly, a tinge of anger in his voice; Kylo could feel his irritation from paces away. _reckless… unworthy… upstart…_ floated to the top of his mind. "Let me see that arm."

"Absolutely not," Kylo stepped back, tilting his body away. Hux moved doggedly towards him.

"Don't be childish. You should be in the medical bay, but since you've forgone that, someone has to fix you up," Hux chided in a tone that might have been more appropriate for addressing a wayward boy. Ren did not miss the implication. "We can't have the Supreme Leader waylaid because of his fetish for punishment."

Hux's body smashed backwards into the desk, sending an empty glass clattering to the ground. He slumped forwards and coughed out a mouthful of blood in a way that somehow sounded like laughing. "Now, now, Ren," Hux looked up with a malicious grin, chin streaked red. "If you hit me any harder I might think you were flirting.”

A bright flush rose in Kylo’s cheeks and he pulled back his outstretched hand as quickly as if he’d been burned. Hux was on his feet already, blood wiped away, straightening his jacket and smoothing back his hair with a few precise movements. “My, aren’t you simple,” he purred, fixing Kylo with a predatory smile. The aura of rage around Kylo had deflated into something more cautious and defensive. He was still bleeding, good hand pressed against the cut in his battered arm, back almost literally against the wall. None of this had been expected. The day had been long and he was tired and angry and sore and felt his soul somehow laid bare by the calculating gaze of the general.

“What do you want from me, General?” Kylo hissed through his teeth, barely above a whisper. Hux smiled.

“I’ve told you. Let me see your arm,” he replied. Kylo said nothing but relaxed his defensive stance and allowed himself to sag back against the wall, feeling exhausted and defeated. “Very good,” Hux hummed, stepping slightly too close as he peeled back the soiled fabric. He clicked his tongue idly as he surveyed the wound, then the rest of Kylo’s body, eyes roaming impassively across his battered face and dirty clothing. Apparently satisfied with his inventory, Hux stepped back and turned away. His heels clicked crisply against the floor as he walked away in the direction of the refresher. Kylo watched him disappear behind the door, breathing in the silence after it slid closed. That damned man. He should leave, go to med bay, end this tug of war at least until the next time they crossed paths. He followed Hux into the refresher as if drawn on a string.

The room was small and spartan. There was space enough for the two of them and the amenities, but not much more. An array of basic medical supplies had been set out on the counter, and Hux didn’t turn as Kylo entered.

“Get undressed,” he ordered, rifling through the med kit Kylo kept here, usually to attend to his own wounds.

“No.” Ren’s voice was irritated, verging on petulant.

Hux spared him a withering glance. “You’re filthy. Get undressed.”

That wasn’t untrue. If he was honest Kylo felt uncomfortable in his robes, soaked in sweat and grime. He held back a further complaint and dropped his cloak from his back, then pulled off his stiff shirt and, after a moment of consideration, his damp undershirt. The temperature controlled air of the fresher felt calming on his skin. Kylo sat heavily onto the bench built into the wall behind his and rested his head back, following Hux’s movements through half lidded eyes.

“You’re quite tame after all, Ren,” Hux mused as he approached with a sanitizing wipe and a tube of bacta. “I expected more of a fight.” Kylo said nothing, watching the General with a sour expression as he cleaned the area around the cut in Kylo’s arm. It had finally stopped bleeding, and Hux smeared a generous coating of bacta over the scab before turning back to the counter to retrieve a bandage. The gel felt cool on his irritated skin, and Kylo was surprised by Hux’s careful, almost gentle touch. He couldn’t remember the last time anyone had cared for him after a fight.

Hux pressed the bandage onto Kylo’s arm, running his thumb around the edges to ensure it was sealed against the skin. “Now for the unpleasant part,” he announced, lips curving again into that predatory smile. “Stand up, if you please.”

Kylo didn’t bicker this time. He knew his shoulder was dislocated, and that someone was going to have to fix it. It would be easy enough to do himself, but he still found himself rising from the bench turning so that his injured side was facing Hux. With his usual efficiency, Hux grasped Kylo’s arm, braced himself, and tugged it sharply back into place.

The pain was sharp, burning, fleeting. Kylo exhaled as his bones slid back together but offered no other signs of discomfort. He felt better, clearer. And he felt the General’s gloved hand still encircling his arm.

There were a few inches’ difference in height between them; Kylo looked back over his shoulder and down into Hux’s eyes. They were green, almost yellow, and met his gaze with an intensity that made Kylo’s breath hitch. He coughed awkwardly and looked away. “You can let go now, General.”

“Of course.” Hux drew his hand back, but remained standing close enough that Kylo could feel his breath on his shoulder blade. Kylo could feel tension emanating from him - not all anger this time, something else. His mind was more tightly locked now, tempered and even on its surface, but Kylo could grasp at a whisper below that sounded like _… want …_

“You’re still filthy,” Hux noted, as if he were commenting on the weather, completely devoid of emotional affect. He was infuriating. Every conversation was like an esoteric game of chance, where Kylo never had the upper hand and always walked away feeling as though he’d lost before he’d even learned the rules. Hux was always angling at something, drawing out his desired result without stooping so low as to actually voice a request.

“Wash me, then,” Kylo replied. There wasn’t enough space for him to put much distance between them as he turned the knob on the shower to scalding hot. He didn’t take many indulgences, but a real shower was superior to the sonics, which always seemed strange and sterile. The steam might excuse the flush that had risen again on his cheeks. If the General was intent on toying with him, he could play too. Kylo kicked off his boots and dropped his pants, stepping into the steaming shower spray without turning around.

The water burned in the scratches on his face, but he could feel some of the tension in his shoulders begin to relax as the warmth washed over him. Kylo closed his eyes and rested his forehead against the shower wall, breathing slow and deep. He was out of patience for today. His body felt heavy and much to his disgust this bickering had left him half hard. The dull throb in his cock was difficult to ignore, even more so now that he was stripped of his clothing. It had been worth it, though, to now feel so keenly the wheels turning at top speeds in Hux’s mind as he struggled to make his move.

Kylo palmed himself lazily and, at last, cast a glance over his shoulder to where the General stood, probably sweating in his high necked uniform as the steam filled the room. Hux’s hands were clasped oddly, but as his eyes locked with Kylo’s he set his jaw and began to pull off his leather gloves, one finger at a time. He’d been fidgeting, or trying not to, Kylo realized. A deliciously rare moment of indecision. Kylo turned to watch as Hux removed the other glove and laid the pair neatly on the counter, then began to unbutton his coat. The coat was folded and set next to the gloves, and then the same routine began on his dress shirt.

“You’re taking your time,” Kylo commented, just audible above the splash of the shower. Hux looked up from his buttons and only blinked once at the sight of his Supreme Leader, soaking wet with one hand around his hardening cock. Kylo raised one eyebrow just barely half an inch, face otherwise impassive. Hux continued to remove his shirt at the same steady pace, placing it on top of his jacket before sitting down on the bench to remove his boots.

“Some of us have a measure of consideration for the proper state of our possessions,” Hux replied, disdainfully eyeing the pile of Kylo’s discarded clothing. He tucked his boots below the bench and rose again to undo his pants, which he folded and placed beside the rest. Kylo chuckled at the sight of the General’s standard issue grey briefs and the ungraceful process of their removal. Hux glared.

And then he was naked, too. Hux’s body was lean and pale, dusted with light red hair and a smattering of freckles across his arms and chest. There were bruises blossoming on his back where Kylo had thrown him, and a few silvered scars from the days before he had reached a command post. His hips were narrow, and a patch of curly red hair cradled the base of his cock, which hung thickly against his legs. Hux stepped into the shower next to Kylo and closed his eyes as the water hit his face.

Kylo reached out to touch his chest but Hux grabbed his wrist sharply, suddenly pinning him back against the wall. The difference in bulk between them was pronounced, but Kylo found himself submitting to Hux’s force. Hux was not weak, and though Kylo could have overpowered him if he fought, he was surprised by the firm grip of the General’s hands. His cock twinged and Kylo sucked in a breath as Hux leaned closer, the green of his eyes disappearing into the deep black expanse of his pupils.

“I give the direction,” Hux breathed, using his other hand to cup Kylo’s chin. Every inch of Kylo’s skin was sparking with energy, the desire to fight back tangling with the desire to obey. Hux ran one well manicured fingernail down Kylo’s cheek, pressing just hard enough to leave a mark without breaking the skin. Kylo shuddered. “If you wish to stop, say my given name.” Hux’s hand roamed back, probing around the curve of Kylo’s ear, the soft flesh of his earlobe, the delicate skin behind. Kylo inclined his head in a curt nod, breathing heavily.

Hux’s mouth was very close. Kylo leaned in to kiss him and was rewarded with a sharp slap to the face that sent stars winking out across his field of view.

“I said, I give the direction,” Hux repeated, tangling his hand in Kylo’s hair and tugging hard. He scraped his teeth against the exposed skin of Kylo’s neck, pausing to bite down just above his collarbone. Every new sensation melded into an overwhelming wave of touch and anticipation, threatening to overtake him. Kylo closed his eyes and reached forward with his free hand to rest it gently on the small of Hux’s back. There was no warning slap this time, just the feel of skin almost too soft to reconcile with the harsh lines of the General’s usual stature. He had lost track of who was winning this battle.

They stayed that way for only a scant few moments before Hux turned Kylo’s body roughly to face the wall. Kylo’s flush deepened, but he almost laughed at the feeling of strong hands rubbing shampoo into his hair. Hux was single minded, as always, following through on the challenge Kylo had almost forgotten issuing. _Wash me, then._ He didn’t care much for the outward tidiness of his own body, but of course Hux did, of course he would not dirty himself with the sweat and blood of Kylo’s work. Hux’s instinct to kill, just as ferocious, functioned on an entirely different level.

He allowed Hux to move him, to scrub and rinse his body more than Kylo usually did on his own time. It felt like being subjected to someone else’s routine, impersonal despite their closeness. As in all other things, Hux’s actions were calculated and precise. It didn’t take a terribly long time until he was cleaned to Hux’s standard, though the knotted mess of his hair required several applications of conditioner to untangle. When he was done, Hux pushed Kylo back under the showerhead and ran his hands through Kylo’s hair until no trace of soap remained. Finally he turned the water off and let the sonics dry them both, idly running his hands down Kylo’s chest, tracing the multitude of scars there.

“You have been sloppy lately,” he mused quietly, “But you want a beating, don’t you Ren? You crave punishment.”

Kylo’s hair felt light and springy, falling to his shoulders in tousled waves. He couldn’t remember the last time he felt so clean. Looking down at Hux’s face, he was surprised by how young the General looked now, bare of his austere uniform with his hair out of place, watching Kylo back with a focused, hungry stare.

“Yes,” Kylo answered simply. There was no point hiding now.

Hux wrapped one slender hand around Kylo’s throat, pressing until his face flushed and his vision clouded. The release brought a rush of blood to his head and his cock and he couldn’t hold back half a choking gasp, grabbing Hux’s shoulder to steady himself. Hux slapped him again, the sharp sting doing little to clear his vision, and then he was on his knees, legs kicked out from under him. Panting, Kylo looked up to see Hux disappearing past the door back into the main room.

A surge of energy returned to him and Kylo pulled himself up and after Hux, catching up to him a pace away from the bed. The room was still in disarray from their earlier spat, and Hux’s pale form stood out like a beacon against the grey walls. Kylo shouldered him hard, aiming for his back but misjudging how quickly he could react, so that Hux whipped around to grapple onto Kylo and pull him down. The stumbled together onto the thin mattress. Hux was smiling ferociously as he rolled onto his side and clamped a hand around Kylo’s neck once more, swiftly rising to plant one knee on Kylo’s broad chest and the other across the bend of his right elbow. His nails dug in to Kylo’s throat and his weight was more than Kylo would have expected - more muscular than his narrow frame suggested.

“I could kill you right now,” Kylo choked out, voice rasping. Hux laughed cruelly.

“Could you really?” he asked, slipping off so that his legs straddled Kylo, his cock standing to attention. He leaned forward and his hair, so shockingly red, fell across his eyes as he pressed his lips to Kylo’s. The pressure on his throat was released and Kylo kissed back hungrily, furiously. Hux ran his thumb over the scar crossing the right side of Kylo’s face and moved to kiss the purpling bruise below his eye. He stroked it too with his thumb and then pressed down on it until pain sparked under Kylo’s skin. “You must be more mindful of your safety from now on, Supreme Leader,” he mocked. “We have ways of handling your filthy needs.”

Kylo’s heart was thudding and his cock was achingly hard, but when he reached to touch it Hux grabbed his arm and bent it away awkwardly. “I don’t believe I said you could do that,” he murmured. Kylo’s arm, so recently and indelicately mended, would risk greater injury if he fought back. He tugged it free from Hux’s grasp and shifted so that both arms were above his head, hands grasping the top of his pillow.

“Very good,” Hux praised, voice tinged with sarcasm. “I thought you were a complete idiot, but apparently you are still capable of learning what’s best for you.”

“Funny, I was under the impression you only thought of me naked, alone in your chambers,” Kylo replied. “Your mind is quite loud at night, General.”

Hux slapped him again. A new bruise was beginning to form on his left cheek. “Insolent.” Hux rose from the bed and cast around for something, distractedly stroking the length of his cock as Kylo watched. “Get on your knees, and get me your lube.”

Kylo twitched a hand and a bottle levitated out from under the bed, but he remained reclined on his back. “Perhaps I want to watch you fuck me, General,” he said, arching an eyebrow.

“And what made you think I care one whit for what you want?” Hux returned. The obscene sound of him slicking himself with the lube made Kylo inhale sharply, but he made no move to alter his position. To the contrary, he spread his legs wide enough to accommodate the General’s lithe body, raising his eyebrows again.

Hux looked at Kylo for a moment as if weighing his options, but the precum dripping from the head of his cock and the bright flush in his cheeks was enough of a giveaway that he too was coming to the end of his patience. He placed the bottle of lube on the ground beside the bed and climbed back on, positioning himself between Kylo’s legs. With no build up he thrust one long, lubed finger past the tightness of Kylo’s entrance, and then another. Kylo threw his head back and almost whined as Hux spread and loosened him, fucking rhythmically with his fingers. He slid a third inside and leaned forward to cup Kylo’s face with his other hand, drawing it back down to kiss him roughly. “If you’re going to be difficult, I’ll leave you here wanting,” he breathed, voice growing ragged with lust.

“Just do it,” Kylo moaned, grasping the back of Hux’s neck with one calloused hand. Hux didn’t bother to shake him off as he pulled his fingers out and replaced them with the tip of his cock pressed teasingly against Kylo’s hole.  
“Beg me for it,” Hux ordered, twining one hand into Kylo’s hair and pulling it back lightly. Kylo growled low in his throat, and Hux pulled harder. “I said beg, foolish boy.”

Kylo gritted his teeth, but the slick pressure of Hux’s cock pressed against him and the commanding tone of his voice were wearing down his resolve. Hux sunk his teeth into the side of Kylo’s neck and he cried out. “Fuck me.”

“What was that?”

“Fuck me, you bastard.”

Hux smirked, tracing one finger down the length of Kylo’s cock with an infuriatingly delicate touch. “Not very polite.”

“Dammit,” Kylo moaned. “Hux, fuck me now. Please.”

The first thrust was rough, and Kylo gasped as he felt the full length of Hux’s cock push inside him. Hux moved his hand from Kylo’s hair to pin his wrists in their place above his head and fell into rhythm, sliding in and out with powerful thrusts. Kylo’s cock felt like it was on fire and he pulled one hand free to finally stroke himself. Hux didn’t try to stop him but snarled in his ear don’t come until I tell you, which almost sent him over the edge. Kylo was barely aware of how his other hand had intertwined with Hux’s, holding tightly, desperately.

He bucked with each of Hux’s thrusts, moving with him, filled with wanting in each half second that he was left half empty. Kylo could feel the hard swell of Hux’s cock spreading him wide, the thud of Hux’s heavy balls as he pushed wholly inside. Hux panted above him, chest red and shining with the sweat of his effort. Precum was leaking in pools from Kylo’s cock onto his taut stomach, and it seemed impossible to keep himself from crying out, nearly impossible to keep himself from tipping beyond the breaking point. “Hux, I -”

And then Hux was coming, cock buried to the hilt and spasming, filling Kylo with warmth and wetness. Kylo could feel it as Hux leaned over him heavily, their foreheads almost touching, Hux’s grip on his hand crushingly tight. Without pulling out Hux reached down to grab Kylo’s cock and breathed out “Come for me, Kylo.”

Kylo spilled immediately across Hux’s hand and his own chest, panting and moaning, any shred of self-consciousness long gone. Hux slid out and collapsed to Kylo’s side, breathing heavily. They laid there for several minutes, breath slowing and heart rates settling. Kylo closed his eyes, letting satisfaction and fatigue wash over him, pushing down the question of what the consequences of this decision might bring. When he opened his eyes again Hux was propped up on one arm beside him, looking at him with a frown.

“What?” Kylo demanded, returning the stare.

“You’re filthy again.”

Kylo sighed heavily and rolled over, throwing an arm over Hux’s chest and pulling him down with him. “You’re extremely irritating, did you know that?”

Hux snorted in annoyance and pulled himself out from Kylo’s embrace, climbing over the larger man and out of the bed. Kylo could hear him move to the refresher, and then the sound of water running from behind the door.

When Hux returned minutes later, fully and immaculately dressed, Kylo was sprawled out and snoring. Hux shook his head, straightened his collar, and strode out into the hall, pausing only to turn off the light as he left.

**Author's Note:**

> hey thanks for reading! it's been a while since i've written fanfic and it feels great to get back into it. gosh do i love these terrible space boys and their terrible relationship. you can find me on twitter at @crowdaemon


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